How to design a great business HR Strategy

The competitive and performance driven organization always set up a great HR team that creates an excellent HR Strategy. This company always invest in the people management practices. However, even the best business in the world does not implement a great strategic piece of work in one go. It represents the commitment of the leaders to design and develop a great one. The leader takes over the ownership of the entire exercise. It is not just a just a job of Human Resources. It can prepare the one, but the leadership team has to own it and demonstrate the accountability. It is a source of the long-term competitive advantage. All leaders in the firm have to implement particular projects and initiatives. The HR team has to play the role of the glue to ensure that the big picture makes the sense.

It often happens that the people misinterpret the strategic planning and the strategy. These terms are not same. The higher in the organizational hierarchy we tend to mark our tasks strategic. However, we usually participate in planning sessions. We do not design a new strategy for the business.

In a performance and goal driven organization, the HR team has a clear aim to develop attractive and efficient policies and practices. It is about the internal environment, corporate culture and individual and personal commitment of all team members. They are all committed to bringing the most suitable solutions for the business. The mature HR Management practices and policies are always the key driver of any changes in the company. However, how does the company design an excellent and competitive HR strategy?

A story always starts with the leader of the organization. She has to share the vision with the team. She has to engage everyone, and she has to draw a clear picture of the excellent company in the future. The plan cannot be short-term, and it has to be challenging. Easy plans do not raise any personal commitment. Everyone want to be a part of a great story. We all want to be mentioned on the first page of the newspapers (positively).

Next, the leader needs to design or update the business strategy in close collaboration with the team that elaborates the vision in higher detail. The team has to turn the idea into desired objectives and descriptions of the successful accomplishment. It still does not include any specific HR initiatives. It just sets the boundaries for the function in the organization. It puts the essential components of the corporate strategy in place. It also indicates required and preferred skills and competencies. Without the business strategy, HR cannot define its one.

This is the moment for the HR team when it can join the effort. They were represented just by the HR director so far. In larger organizations HR senior managers can be included in strategic talks and discussions. However, from this moment, the team can start formulating the HR mission and the HR strategy. They cannot start before the business is ready to communicate the general vision because employees could not see any connection between the leadership team and Human Resources.

However, it is important to clarify the question of the ownership right from the beginning. The CEO is the owner of the final product; she can delegate the implementation responsibility. She cannot delegate the accountability. If this question is not clearly answered, the team will bring a solution that is never implemented. A great HR strategy usually brings significant gains, but it also pains.

Moreover, there is always a close cooperation between the HR and Leadership teams in the performance driven organization. It creates the internal environment that supports and enables creativity, a competitiveness and the collaboration across teams. This business always defines and implements the open and honest corporate culture. During all sessions the participation of senior managers from other functions is essential. This is the best way how to make sure that all immediate and valuable feedback is incorporated.

Human Resources has to produce the functional story from the wider business one. Each strategy has to tell a story that is attractive to the audience. Employees have to see the clear future, and they have to find a clear position in it. They have to dream about the challenging journey. They have to imagine all benefits.

All HR Managers have to allocate time to communicate and engage. No story can catch all hearts immediately. HR employees have to become the Angels promoting and explaining the content. They have to find all positive examples. They have to present the HR roadmap. They have to explain what are the key milestones.

A great HR strategy is not a complicated document. It is a journey that is challenging and achievable. Employees can recognize that it is not just a dream of a few chosen employees. They have to find a place for everyone who is willing to join the adventure. They have to see much fun. They have to see the recognition for everyone who helps.